BA/BSc (Honours) in Design and Innovation

Knowledge and understanding

You will gain knowledge and understanding of:

• Theories and models of design and innovation processes
• Design and innovation in a social and global context
• The fundamental characteristics of design thinking
• The historical, cultural, and technical foundations of design and innovation in a range of discipline areas.

Cognitive skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to:

• Recognise various aspects of the design and innovation process using relevant concepts
• Appraise and evaluate design solutions in their context of use and production
• Think in creative, analytic, and reflective ways in articulating reasoned arguments
• Explore and critique the work of other practitioners
• Appreciate the aesthetic and ethical impacts of design.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to:

• Take a creative and informed approach to the design and innovation process
• Use appropriate media, tools, techniques, and methods to produce and communicate designs
• Be able to engage in solution-oriented debate
• Understand how to produce a balanced portfolio of work.

Key skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to:

• Communicate design outputs using appropriate forms of representation
• Recognise and integrate the expertise of others when designing
• Be independent and self-motivated, and manage your workload to meet deadlines
• Make use of appropriate online environments for research, communication, and learning, both individually and collaboratively.

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

• In Stage 1, you’ll study one 60-credit design module and 60 credits of option modules in a complementary subject from your chosen designation – BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science).
• In Stage 2, you’ll study one 60-credit design module and 60 credits of option modules from your chosen designation.
• In Stage 3, you’ll study one 60-credit design module and 60 credits of option modules from your chosen designation.
• We’ve created themes to guide you and help you choose your 180 credits of option modules.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

Design module

You'll study:

• Design thinking: creativity for the 21st century (U101)

BA (Bachelor of Arts) option modules

You'll choose one from:

• An introduction to business and management (B100)
• Cultures (A112)
• Discovering the arts and humanities (A111)
• Encountering psychology in context (D120)
• Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)
• Global challenges: social science in action (D113)
• Introducing health and social care (K102)
• Introducing the social sciences (DD102)
• Introduction to sport and fitness (E117)
• Revolutions (A113)
• Science and health: an evidence-based approach (SDK100)
• Young children's play and creativity (E110)

BSc (Bachelor of Science) option modules

You'll choose 60 credits from:

• Engineering: origins, methods, context (T192)
• Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)
• Introduction to computing and information technology 1 (TM111)
• Introduction to computing and information technology 2 (TM112)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

Design module

You'll study the following:

• Design Essentials (T217)

BA (Bachelor of Arts) option modules

You'll choose one from the following:

• Art and life before 1800 (A237)
• Art and visual cultures in the modern world (A236)
• Creative writing (A215)
• Critical ideas in wellbeing and public health (K212)
• Developing leadership (B208)
• Environment and Society (DD213)
• Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206)
• Exploring childhood and youth (E232)
• Exploring innovation and entrepreneurship (B205)
• Introducing global development: poverty, inequality, sustainability (D229)
• Music, sound and technology (A232)
• Psychology of childhood and youth (E219)
• Shaping business opportunities (B207)
• Sport and Exercise Psychology in Action (E235)
• Understanding digital societies (DD218)
• Understanding music (A234)

BSc (Bachelor of Science) option modules

You'll choose 60 credits from the following options:

• Core engineering A (T271)
• Energy and sustainability (T213)
• Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206)
• Environmental science (S206)
• Object-oriented Java programming (M250)
• Web technologies (TM252)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

Design module

You'll study the following:

• Innovation: designing for change (T317)

BA (Bachelor of Arts) option modules

You'll choose 60 credits from:

• Advanced creative writing (A363)
• Art and its critical histories (A336)
• Art and its global histories (A344)
• Athletic development: a psychological perspective (E312)
• Central questions in the study of music (A342)
• Contemporary research with children and young people (E320)
• Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)
• Environment: responding to change (SDT306)
• International relations: continuity and change in global politics (DD313)
• Social theory: changing social worlds (DD318)
• Strategic management (B302)
• Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)

BSc (Bachelor of Science) option modules

You'll choose 60 credits from:

• Communications technology (TM355)
• Environment: responding to change (SDT306)
• Environmental Management 2 (T319)
• Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)
• Interaction design and the user experience (TM356)
• Nanoscale engineering (T366)
• Renewable energy (T313)
• Structural integrity: predicting and assessing performance (T367)
• The engineering project (T452)
• Web, mobile and cloud technologies (TM352)

Themes

For each designation, BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BSc (Bachelor of Science), we’ve created themes to help you choose your 180 credits of options modules.

BA (Bachelor of Arts)

• Culture and aesthetics
• Health and wellbeing
• Management
• Society
• Sustainability

BSc (Bachelor of Science)

• Energy
• Engineering
• Environment
• Interfaces and interaction

Culture and Aesthetics

Stage 1:

Choose one from:

• Cultures (A112)
• Discovering the arts and humanities (A111)
• Revolutions (A113)

Stage 2:

Choose one from:

• Art and life before 1800 (A237)
• Art and visual cultures in the modern world (A236)
• Creative writing (A215)
• Music, sound and technology (A232)
• Understanding music (A234)

Stage 3:

Choose one from:

• Advanced creative writing (A363)
• Art and its critical histories (A336)
• Art and its global histories (A344)
• Central questions in the study of music (A342)

Health and Wellbeing

Stage 1:

Choose one from:

• Encountering psychology in context (D120)
• Introducing health and social care (K102)
• Introduction to sport and fitness (E117)
• Science and health: an evidence-based approach (SDK100)
• Young children's play and creativity (E110)

Stage 2:

Choose one from:

• Critical ideas in wellbeing and public health (K212)
• Exploring childhood and youth (E232)
• Psychology of childhood and youth (E219)
• Sport and Exercise Psychology in Action (E235)

Stage 3:

Choose one from:

• Athletic development: a psychological perspective (E312)
• Contemporary research with children and young people (E320)
• Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)

Management

Stage 1:

• An introduction to business and management (B100)

Stage 2:

Choose one from:

• Developing leadership (B208)
• Exploring innovation and entrepreneurship (B205)
• Shaping business opportunities (B207)

Stage 3:

Choose 60 credits from:

• Creating futures: sustainable enterprise and innovation (B327)
• Leadership in a changing world (B329)
• Marketing in action (B328)
• Strategic management (B302)

Society

Stage 1:

Choose one from:

• Global challenges: social science in action (D113)
• Introducing the social sciences (DD102)

Stage 2:

Choose one from:

• Environment and Society (DD213)
• Understanding digital societies (DD218)

Stage 3:

Choose one from:

• Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)
• Social theory: changing social worlds (DD318)

Sustainability

Stage 1:

Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)

Stage 2:

Choose one from:

• Environment and Society (DD213)
• Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206)
• Introducing global development: poverty, inequality, sustainability (D229)

Stage 3:

Choose one from:

• Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)
• Environment: responding to change (SDT306)
• International relations: continuity and change in global politics (DD313)

Energy

Stage 1:

• Engineering: origins, methods, context (T192)
• Engineering: frameworks, analysis, production (T193)

Stage 2:

• Core engineering A (T271)

Choose one from:

• Energy and sustainability (T213)
• Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220)

Stage 3:

• Renewable energy (T313)
• The engineering project (T452)

Engineering

Stage 1:

• Engineering: origins, methods, context (T192)
• Engineering: frameworks, analysis, production (T193)

Stage 2:

• Core engineering A (T271)

Choose one from:

• Energy and sustainability (T213)
• Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220)

Stage 3:

Choose two from:

• Nanoscale engineering (T366)
• Renewable energy (T313)
• Structural integrity: predicting and assessing performance (T367)
• The engineering project (T452)

Environment

Stage 1:

Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)

Stage 2:

Choose 60 credits from:

• Energy and sustainability (T213)
• Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220)
• Environmental science (S206)
• Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206)

Stage 3:

Choose 60 credits from:

• Environmental Management 2 (T319)
• Environmental policy in an international context (DD319)
• Environment: responding to change (SDT306)
• Renewable energy (T313)

Interfaces and Interaction

Stage 1:

You'll study the following:

• Introduction to computing and information technology 1 (TM111)
• Introduction to computing and information technology 2 (TM112)

Stage 2:

You'll study the following:

• Object-oriented Java programming (M250)
• Web technologies (TM252)

Stage 3:

You'll study the following:

• Interaction design and the user experience (TM356)

You'll choose one from:

• Communications technology (TM355)
• Web, mobile and cloud technologies (TM352)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or an alternative location.
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Skills for career development

A design and innovation approach can bring value to almost any activity and is increasingly in demand with employers – for example in education, business, local government, leisure services, engineering, environment, and health.

This degree course will develop your skills in design and innovation so that you can apply them to ‘embedded contexts’ – areas outside the creative industries that are not traditionally thought of as ‘creative’, but benefit hugely from design thinking. As an Open University student, you have a great advantage over other design students in that your learning can be put into practice as you study. The BA/BSc (Honours) Design and Innovation encourages you to apply the thinking, methods, and techniques you learn to your context, enabling you to produce a portfolio of highly relevant design work. Additionally, the ability to think critically and responsibly about design problems is greatly valued by a wide range of employers.

Career relevance

Design and innovation play a central role in society, producing solutions to problems of all sizes in every aspect of our lives, not just in the creative industries. A design and innovation approach can bring value to almost any activity and is increasingly in demand by employers. Graduates with these skills can find jobs in a wide range of fields including education, business, local government, leisure services, engineering, environment, and health.

Other careers

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

• A week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
• Course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
• Module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
• Details of each assignment and their due dates
• A tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
• Online versions of some printed module materials and resources.